Born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1936, Yaacov grew up in a close-knit Jewish family with his older brother, Herman. His childhood changed dramatically after the German occupation of Belgium in 1940. As anti-Jewish measures intensified, he was forced to wear the yellow Star of David and lived in constant fear of raids and persecution.
Full episode · 17 min 35 sec
In 1942, Yaacov’s father was arrested during a roundup and deported to Auschwitz under the false promise of work in Germany. Shortly afterward, Yaacov, his brother, and their mother went into hiding. After a brief stay in a shoe store, Yaacov was separated from his mother forever. The Belgian Resistance rescued the two brothers and placed them in a children’s orphanage before moving them to the Saint Joseph convent near Brussels, where they lived under false identities for more than three years. Even there, they faced the constant threat of discovery as German forces searched religious institutions for hidden Jewish children.
Following the liberation of Belgium in 1944, Yaacov and his brother learned that both of their parents had been deported to Auschwitz and never returned. Despite the devastating loss of his family, Yaacov rebuilt his life, eventually raising children and grandchildren of his own.
Today, from his home in Israel, Yaacov shares his testimony to honor his parents’ memory, pay tribute to those who risked their lives to save Jewish children, and ensure that future generations never forget the consequences of hatred and intolerance.
An Interview with a Holocaust Survivor
Narration: Today I am in Tel Aviv to meet Yaacov, who was born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1936. Raised in a deeply religious Jewish family alongside his older brother Herman, Yaacov survived the Holocaust as a hidden child. Today, surrounded by the memories of a lifetime, he shares his remarkable story.
Narration: Germany invaded Belgium in 1940. At first, life continued almost normally, but by 1941 anti-Jewish measures intensified. Raids became common, Jewish families were forced to wear the yellow Star of David, and fear became a part of everyday life.
Yaacov: We had to wear the yellow star. We were always afraid. They were looking for the Jews.Narration: In 1942, the Germans announced that Jewish men were being sent to Germany for work. Like thousands of others, Yaacov’s father believed the promise and reported as instructed.
Yaacov: My father went to work. He didn’t know he was going to Auschwitz. We didn’t know what Auschwitz was. Everyone thought they were going to work in a factory.Narration: After his father’s deportation, Yaacov, his brother, and their mother went into hiding. Their last moments together came when they were concealed inside a shoe store during a raid.
Yaacov: They hid us in a shoe store. I never saw my mother again.Narration: Members of the Belgian Resistance rescued Yaacov and Herman and brought them to a Jewish orphanage filled with children who had also lost their parents. When German forces arrived to deport the children, the Resistance intervened once again, moving them to safety before they could be sent to Auschwitz.
Yaacov: The Resistance took us to an orphanage. There were hundreds of children there without parents. The Germans came, but the Resistance knew and moved us before they could take us away.Narration: Yaacov and his brother were transferred to the Saint Joseph convent near Brussels, where they remained hidden for the rest of the occupation under the care of Catholic nuns.
Yaacov: We stayed together. My brother was always sad because he wanted to see our parents again. I learned to sing, to play the organ, and to sculpt. For me, life in the convent was wonderful.Narration: When the war ended, Yaacov learned that neither of his parents had survived Auschwitz. Like so many hidden children, he had to rebuild his life while carrying the pain of unimaginable loss.
Leslie: You lost both your father and your mother. Yaacov: Yes.Narration: Today, Yaacov lives in Israel surrounded by his family. By sharing his testimony, he honors the memory of his parents, the courage of the Belgian Resistance, and the people who risked their own lives to save Jewish children.
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